成长的树根(Growing roots)

wheniwasgrowingup,ihadanoldneighbornameddr.gibbs.hedidn’tlooklikeanydoctori’deverknown.heneveryelledatusforplayinginhisyard.irememberhimassomeonewhowasalotnicerthancircumstanceswarranted.

whendr.gibbswasn’tsavinglives,hewasplantingtrees.hishousesatontenacres,andhislife’sgoalwastomakeitaforest.thegooddoctorhadsomeinterestingtheoriesconcerningplanthusbandry.hecamefromthe“nopain,nogain”schoolofhorticulture.heneverwateredhisnewtrees,whichflewinthefaceofconventionalwisdom.onceiaskedwhy.hesaidthatwateringplantsspoiledthem,andthatifyouwaterthem,eachsuccessivetreegenerationwillgrowweakerandweaker.soyouhavetomakethingsroughforthemandweedouttheweenietreesearlyon.

hetalkedabouthowwateringtreesmadeforshallowroots,andhowtreesthatweren’twateredhadtogrowdeeprootsinsearchofmoisture.itookhimtomeanthatdeeprootsweretobetreasured.soheneverwateredhistrees.he’dplantanoakand,insteadofwateringiteverymorning,he’dbeatitwitharolled-upnewspaper.smack!slap!pow!iaskedhimwhyhedidthat,andhesaiditwastogetthetree’sattention.

dr.gibbswenttogloryacoupleofyearsafterilefthome.everynowandagain,iwalkedbyhishouseandlookedatthetreesthati’dwatchedhimplantsometwenty-fiveyearsago.they’regranitestrongnow.bigandrobust.thosetreeswakeupinthemorningandbeattheirchestsanddrinktheircoffeeblack.iplantedacoupleoftreesafewyearsback.carriedwatertothemforasolidsummer.sprayedthem.prayedoverthem.thewholenineyards.twoyearsofcoddlinghasresultedintreesthatexpecttobewaitedonhandandfoot.wheneveracoldwindblowsin,theytrembleandchattertheirbranches.sissytrees.

funnythingsaboutthosetreesofdr.gibbs’.adversityanddeprivationseemedtobenefittheminwayscomfortandeasenevercould.everynightbeforeigotobed,icheckonmytwosons.istandoverthemandwatchtheirlittlebodies,therisingandfallingoflifewithin.ioftenprayforthem.mostlyipraythattheirliveswillbeeasy.butlatelyi’vebeenthinkingthatit’stimetochangemyprayer.thischangehastodowiththeinevitabilityofcoldwindsthathitusatthecore.iknowmychildrenaregoingtoencounterhardship,andi’mprayingtheywon’tbenaive.there’salwaysacoldwindblowingsomewhere.

soi’mchangingmyprayer.becauselifeistough,whetherwewantittobeornot.toomanytimesweprayforease,butthat’saprayerseldommet.whatweneedtodoisprayforrootsthatreachdeepintotheeternal,sowhentherainsfallandthewindsblow,wewon’tbesweptasunder.